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What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove? If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it's important to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to burn wood legally in a smoke-controlled area. They are independently tested to provide the lowest possible emissions. Stoves that are certified as such typically have the word 'Defra approved' in their names or specifications. Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas Many people believe that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't use a wood-burning stove however this isn't true. Many towns and cities are in a smoke control zone however, that doesn't mean that they can't use a wood burning stove. It's just that they must burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The Defra approved stove is a type of wood burning stove that has been tested to ensure it meets certain requirements regarding the emissions that it produces when burning authorised fuels and consequently, it is able to be used legally in the Smoke Control Area. The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves have the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be able to be SE approved it must meet strict requirements in relation to its emissions and emissions, so you can be sure that if you select a stove that is defra exempt, you are getting the cleanest and best burning wood stove on the market. If you search for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you'll usually discover that the manufacturer has taken care of things such as made sure there enough air inlets on the front of the stove to allow for full combustion of the fuel, and that the chimney outlet is large enough to stop the build-up of soot. This is crucial because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove is not able to escape through the chimney into your home. Another benefit of a Defra approved stove is that it generally allows you to fit it with a 5” chimney liner, which is in compliance with UK building regulations. However, stoves that are not Defra approved will need to be fitted with a bigger 6” liner. Stovax is proud to offer a range of fireplaces and stoves that are Defra-approved and Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed with future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are suitable for use with smoke control kits for those properties that are located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a range of authorised smokeless fuels including fire logs. Approved for Smokeless fuels A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also referred to as a DEFRA exempt stove is the only type of stove you can install in a smoke-control area when you plan to make use of it for solid fuel (wood and preferably well-seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don't release excessive smoke and can only be used with fuels that are 'authorized. The distinction between a stove that is DEFRA approved and one that isn't approved is usually quite small. Modern stoves can be transformed into DEFRA certified by a kit that is supplied by the manufacturer and installed in a matter of minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove has to undergo rigorous testing and is limited on how much smoke it can produce. To ensure that these restrictions are maintained during testing the stove needs to be capable of limiting its combustion air supply so that it does not exhaust itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smoulder. This is done by a mechanism inside the stove that allows a small amount of air into the firebox during combustion which is typically hidden within the stove, and under the base of the firebox. Stove World UK offers a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from the country's best manufacturers, including Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in an enormous range of styles and finishes. You can also pick from a vast range of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been designed to meet the future standards for air quality. Smoke Control Areas are typically located around large cities and towns and you can look up the website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classed as such. If you live in a smoke controlled area it is very important that you buy a DEFRA approved stove for your home, to avoid being fined by your local authority. If you burn coal or other solid fuels in a non approved stove, you could be fined up PS300. Approved for wood A DEFRA approved stove, also referred to as a smoke-free wood stove is an appliance that can be used to burn wood in the Smoke Control Area. The stove will bear the Defra approved symbol or 'SE' in the title, which means it can only be used in areas controlled by smoke where you can burn approved fuels. In this instance wood is the fuel. www.fireplacesandstove.com produce huge amounts of particulate matter. These can cause or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory issues and heart issues. This is why it's crucial to purchase new wood stoves that meets the strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You should look for the “EPA 2020 Certified” label, which means that the stove has met the emission limits that are now in place. If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a zone of smoke control, you will need to get it recertified before you can use it. It can be costly and time-consuming, however it is required by law. Homeowners who sell a home with wood stove that is not certified could be subject to tax credits or fines related to pollution-free air. With a kit or an adjustment provided by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can be Defra approved. The main difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't combustion air control system that regulates the amount of air that passes through the stove when it's operating normally. Modifications are usually done to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove. Some manufacturers produce two different versions of a wood stove, one that is Defra-approved, and the other that isn't. The reason is that the cost of putting a wood stove through the rigorous Defra testing is high. To help recoup these costs, they will sell the non-approved version for a lower price. The DEFRA-approved model will have undergone the combustion air modification as part of the testing process. Approved for Gas Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes were able to burn any fuel they wanted to, leading to large amounts of smoke emissions. This caused health problems. To combat this Defra created Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes couldn't produce any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra approved for burning only fuels that were authorised, such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite. Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous tests to demonstrate that they can burn authorised fuels cleanly within a Smoke Control Area. The latest combustion technology delivers a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This allows the stove to meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals. If you're in the market for a brand new wood-burning stove and are in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you take a look at the selection of Defra approved stoves which can be found at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional, contemporary and inset models that are made by top manufacturers such as Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA. The good thing is that there's not any noticeable distinction in appearance between an Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models have a number of features which are designed to ensure they burn more efficiently. Generally they will have a different grate and air vents, and on the gas versions they might also have a different sized flue outlet. Another benefit of the Defra Approved stove is that they'll typically have a 5” (125mm) flue outlet, which means you can choose a narrower stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner which is less expensive than the standard 6” (150mm) liner. We've used this when a customer has an old or non-standard chimney stack which we are installing a Defra approved wood-burning stove in and it reduces the cost of relining the chimney with a bigger diameter liner.